We had a Karastan nylon carpet installed about 8 years ago. It’s now deteriorating rapidly. We continue to find thousands of broken carpet fibers in the carpet and on adjacent surfaces every day, even after vacuuming.

I was led to understand that nylon carpet is the most durable fiber available, so I’m very surprised at this deterioration. Parts of the carpet are often exposed to sunlight, and deterioration is worse in those areas.

Is this deterioration common in nylon carpets? Would steam cleaning prevent further deterioration?

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Alan’s Response:

Thanks for your email. Sorry to hear about your carpet troubles. I don’t have a complete picture of your circumstances so I am going to give you my best opinion and a general response and let you draw your own conclusions. Feel free to respond with additional info you think may be pertinent! There may be several issues you need to consider…

Direct and indirect sunlight is bad for all carpets and causes the fiber to become faded and weak and the backing to become dry and brittle. This sounds like your main issue. Other factors that may be contributing to the deterioration: Your climate, type of heat used in your home, very low humidity combined with other climactic factors can easily play a part to your carpet deteriorating more quickly. Heavy foot traffic, active kids and pets, and improper maintenance also help break down the carpet fiber prematurely.

Contact the retailer where you purchased it and ask them to come out and take a look. Do you have your original sales receipt showing exactly what carpet style you purchased? If so, they can look it up to see the warranty limitations. Do you still have your original warranty paperwork? If so, you may still have some limited recourse from the manufacturer if you have followed all their warranty requirements to the letter.

Steam cleaning will not solve the problem, but is required periodically to keep your carpet warranty in force. If your warranty has expired or is null and void due to your negligence, then you should contact a reputable carpet cleaning expert and have them take a look. They may have a way to help extend the life of your carpet for a little while longer.

Yes, nylon is the most durable fiber available today, however not all nylon carpets are created equal. It all boils down to the manufacturers specifications of the carpet in question, including: Fiber type, tuft-twist, pile height, pile density, fiber face-weight, and much more… How well the carpet is constructed makes a big difference in the life-span and overall durability of the carpet. Take a look at my Carpet Durability Chart (see attached file). It may help you make wise carpet choices in the future.

Karastan does make a good carpet, but some carpets are only designed to last 7 to 10 years. Maybe your carpet has already lived it’s intended lifespan. Don’t expect to get a free replacement or a huge discount on new carpet, but there is a small chance for a little something in your favor if the dealer you purchased from is reputable and locally-owned. Family-run flooring dealers are often willing to (throw you a bone) give you a discount on your new carpet to make sure you are a satisfied repeat customer.

If you purchased from a locally-owned, family-run flooring dealer, I have found that being pleasant and patient during their investigative process will usually lead to a better end-result for you, if you know what I mean. I doubt you will have any warranty coverage at this point, but the dealer knows you have plenty of friends, co-workers and relatives in their service area and you might mention you would be happy to recommend them highly and post a favorable online review if you are treated right. If you did not purchase your carpet from a locally-owned family-run flooring dealer, then your outcome may not be very favorable for you.